Ignition system for engines



A. C. McCANDLESS AND D. L.HARRIS. IGNlTlON SYSTEM FOR ENGINES.APPLICATION FILED APR. 12, 1920. 1,371,797. Patented Mar. 15,1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

A. c. M cCANDLESS AND D. L. HARRIS.

IGNITION SYSTEM FOR ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 12, 1920.

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ALVA G. MCCANDLESS AND DANIEL L. HARRIS, 0F WICHI TA, KANSAS.

IGNITION SYSTEM FOR ENGINES.

Application filed April 12,

v To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALVA C. MOCAND- LESS and DANIEL L. HARRIS, citizensof the United States, residing at WVichita, in the county of Sedgwickand State of Kansas, have invented new and useful Improvements inIgnition Systems for Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates toan ignition system for internal combustionengines and the principal object of the invention is to provide meansoperated by the movement of the piston of the engine for causing a sparkto occur in the firing chamber.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for adjusting themake and break device so that it will be operated by the piston anydesired time.

This invention also consists in certain other features or" constructionand in the combination and arrangement or sev eral parts, to behereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawingsand specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

in describing our invention in detail, reference will be had to theaccompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like 01'corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view showing the invention applied to aninternal combustion motor.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view partly in section of the make and breakdevice.

Fig. 4: is a like view with the parts in sparking position.

Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views.

In these drawings 1 indicates the cylinder block and 2 indicates one ofthe pistons which carries a small projection 3 on its upper face. Incarrying out the invention the spark plugs are re laced by the make andbreak devices 4. ach of these dew'ces consists of a shell 5, the stem 6and the rod 7. The stem 6 is held in the shell by the asbesto packing 8,the fiber nut and sleeve 9 and the main nut 10, this main nut holdingthe 15b 1' nut and sleeve and having its inner end veled to compress thepacking which is arranged as shown in Fig. 3. In this way the shell isinsulated from the cylinder blocks and may be ad'usted longitudinally byloosening the nuts. he upper end of the shell is provided with aspherical head 11 Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar-.15, 192 1.

1920. Serial No. 373,273.

and this head is engaged by a socket formed on the end of an arm 12, thearms being carried by a rod 13 which is rotatably supported in theuprights 14 carried by the engine. By rotating this rod by any suitablemeans the stems may be adjusted simultaneously. Each stem is inelectrical connection with a suitable source of supply, as shown at 15.v

The stem is preferably formed in sections with one section screwthreaded to the other and a yoke member 16 has screw threaded engagementwith the lower end of the stem. Therod 7 is slidably mounted in the stemand is insulated from said stem by the bushings 17. A spring 18 on thestem having its ends engaging the shoulder on said stem and one of thebushings normally holds the head 19 of the stem against the lower partof the yoke member. As shown the head 19 has screw threaded engagementwith the end or" the rod 7 and this head is provided with an extension20 which passes through an opening in the yoke member and is adapted tobe engaged by the projection 3 on the cylinder.

It will thus be seen that on the upward stroke of the piston theprojection 3 will strike the extension 20 and thus move the rod upwardlyand space the head 19 from the yoke. This will close the current to becompleted to the stem, the head, the extension 20 and ground by thepiston and engine and as the head 19 is spaced from the yoke a sparkmust occur at this point. By adjusting the stem longitudinally the timeof engagement of the piston with the extension of the head can bechange. so as to control the spark.

It'is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages andnovel features of our invention will be readily apparent.

We desire it to be understood that we may make changes in theconstruction and in the combination and arrangement of the severalparts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appendedclaims.

What we claim is 1. A device of the class described comprising a shell,a stem adjustably mounted therein and insulatedtherefrom, a yoke memberat the inner end of said shell, a rod slidably mounted in the shell andinsulated therefrom, a head on the rod normally engaging the yoke memberand an extension onv said head adapted to be engaged by the piston formoving the rod and spacing the head from the yoke member to produce aspark 2. In combination with an internal combustion engine, a make andbreak device for,

5 each cylinder thereof, each device comprising a shell, a stemadjustably mounted therein and insulated therefrom, a movable contactmember carried by the shell and insulated therefrom and having a partnormally 10 in electrical engagement with a part of the stem, a part ofthe contact being engaged by the piston to space said part from the stemto produce a spark gap and means for simultaneously adjusting the stemsin the shells.

In testimony whereof We affix our signatures.

ALVA C. MQCANDLESS. DANIEL L. HARRIS.

